Quabbin Reservoir

We actually already are, if you are listening outside the city of Boston.

We are seeing some showers coming into parts of north central Massachusetts, getting out there over toward the Quabbin as well.

Points west and through the Berkshires, you've got some showers as well.

And we could see some of those making their way closer to Boston as we make our way through the afternoon.

Closer to the election, I started seeing more things about the strain that that might put on local municipal like sewerage.

systems, which is a good, valid concern, especially considering some issues with water around the Quabbin and around the Merrimack area.

But up until then, I hadn't really seen anything about that question until basically the results.

I

He's been underwater for decades.

Yes, it's covered by the Quabbin Reservoir.

They flooded four towns.

And remember, six years ago, Joe Kennedy tried to make an issue, and he said, Ed Mark, he has been senator for all these years, and he's never visited Prescott and these other three towns.

He's on the Quay Bog Archers back in the 60s.

And I have a clipping of him that he did get a 203-pound buck near the Quabbin.

back in like 68, it was 203 pounds.

It was an eight pointer and it was in our living room forever.

Yeah,

it really was interesting back then.

And I've never joined one of those Quabbin hunts.

I

In this case, water.

Communities around the Quabbin, like Belchertown and Orange, feel like resources are being pulled from them and given to residents in Eastern Mass.

They feel as if they're being colonized.

By Boston, Andrea James said.

That entity, that company's got to be held accountable.

They need to do a better job, a much better job.

Mike Minogue says he wants to learn more about water resources in both the Quabbin and Great Barrington.

He says he'd look for proposals and brainstorm for the best solution.

Coming up, we'll talk with folks creating whole new worlds to explore the starts and stops of us as humans in community with Happening 6 at the Shea Theatre.

But first, we head to the east side of the Quabbin to an idyllic spot that's been making wine in the Bay State for almost three decades.

We'll head to Hardwick Winery next.

You're listening to The Fabulous 413 on 88.5 NEPM.

Springfield.

It really is.

That's what happens when you're literally at the midpoint on the opposite side of the Quabbin.

We don't have a neighbor in sight.

we get cars later than most other fleets.

So I had one of the last ones and I drove it all around the Quabbin reservoir out in like central mass.

It was like, I just left one morning.

It's like a two hour drive out there.

One of the biggest challenges in the valley is around our water resources.

Right now, the Quabbin and watershed communities around the Quabbin feel like resources are being pulled from them and are being given to the eastern part of the state, being given to Boston.

They feel

colonized.

Instead, they name call.

I want to shift to one of the biggest challenges in the valley right now and would love your take on it.

If you were elected governor, we're having in western Massachusetts a huge issue with water resources, watershed communities in the Quabbin.

feel resources are being pulled from them and they're going to Eastern Mass in Boston.

This is 88.5 NEPM.

Quabbin water grabs, killed tax relief, and Massachusetts drone battles test Beacon Hill.

I'm Keri Healy, and this is Beacon Hill in 5, your quick look at the week ahead in Massachusetts government and politics.

Ella Adams of the Statehouse News Service joins us.

Thanks for being here, Ella.

Thanks for having me.

The MWRA wants an extra 20 million gallons of water a day out of the Quabbin, but Western Mass is pushing back.

Opponents say approving a huge water draw before naming which Eastern Mass towns get it violates state law and hands over a blank check.